An important project is being launched in Nafplio that involves digital tours and virtual visits through the city’s 19th century streets, using innovative tech tools, virtual tour apps and augmented reality technologies.
The aim of the project is to provide an augmented reality travel tour of outdoor and indoor spaces of the historical centre of Nafplio. The tour concerns the revival of the visit experience. The proposed actions will make use of all the possibilities of the internet and of modern technologies to present in an augmented way every aspect of the destination, promoting areas of cultural richness and aiming at the destination’s promotion. The aim of the project is the creation of an online platform for the showcasing and promotion of the cultural heritage of the wider region based on destination management system technologies, that will be a modern means of highlighting the historical monuments, cultural wealth and attractions of the Municipality of Nafplio.
Through the platform and the services provided, the visitor will be able to:
– Tour the history and monuments of the area. The tour will include photos, texts, videos, audio recordings, maps, etc.
– Take a thematic tour (monuments, tradition, folklore, events, etc.).
– Have access to the cultural wealth and the contemporary image of the region through advanced multimedia applications.
– To be informed about events taking place in the Municipality of Nafplio.
– To see proposed cultural routes, through interactive maps with a detailed presentation of each point of the route, the way to get from one point to another, as well as information about the route, such as duration, description, etc.
– To use the electronic calendar service, in which there will be all the important dates relevant to the system (holidays, important events, celebrations and sporting events in the region will be displayed in an electronic calendar).
– To manage the rich multimedia content showcasing the areas.
– To use personalized and augmented information applications via mobile phone.
The points of interest, as well as the thematic routes that will be collected and mapped will be presented through interactive maps, virtual tours, 3D images and models, interactive videos and aerial shots by drones.
Augmented Reality Tour Guide
The action for the Augmented Reality Tour Guide includes the development of a specialized app for smart mobile devices that will involve the historical walking route showcasing the history of Nafplio and especially the historical events and the role of the city as the first capital of the Greek state during the period 1828 – 1833.
The app will contain information about the points of interest from a historical, cultural, and tourist point of view, which will be displayed on an interactive map.
Rich photographic and multimedia content, as well as the exact location of each site will be provided through an easy-to-use interface for visitors. The historical route will include 21 points of interest, where each point may represent a historical event from the rich history of the city, with a focus on the five-year period between 1828-1833.
The smart phone app will operate offline and will contain a presentation of walking routes, selection filters based on the requirements of users, photos, texts describing the points of interest and the routes, GPS tracking on the map so that the user can orientate on the map and select the corresponding digital content they want to see. If the visitor passes by a point of interest, their device will vibrate and ring to inform them of the point of interest. Furthermore, through the app, when the user is in front of a selected point of interest, they will be able to see additional information about that point of interest using augmented reality technology, viewing it through the camera of their mobile phone, after downloading the app from the app store.
The following points of interest will be included in the application, both using the map and the classic navigation: the statue of Kolokotronis, the Staikopoulos Statue, Akronafplia, Vouleftiko, the OSE Theatre, Agia Sofia church, Agia Triada church, Agios Ioannis Theologos church, Agios Spyridon church, church of Agioi Anargiroi, Agion Panton church, Evangelistria church, Lion of the Bavaria, Palamidi, Old Train Station, Town Hall Square, National Assembly Square, Kapodistrias Square, Syntagma Square, Gate of the Land, Frangokklisia.
The points of interest mentioned are indicative. It is likely that more will emerge during the actual tour.
3D representation of the area of interest’s terrain
A 3D representation of the historical route’s terrain will also be made, which will consist of the above 21 points of interest, which will appear on the relief of the area with special markings. The route is thematic in nature. Starting from the old town of Nafplio, it climbs up the steps of Palamidi crossing the castle. A few meters after the parking lot, it passes through the path that connects the Palamidi castle with the historical district of Pronia and the Holy Church of Evangelistria. From there, there are two alternative routes. The first one crosses the district of Pronia to reach the National Assembly Square. The second one climbs eastwards towards the hill with a wonderful view and then passes by the Lion of the Bavaria and the Agion Panton church to reach the National Assembly Square. Then the route goes vertically along 25 March Street and passing through the pedestrian street of Vasileos Konstantinou, it ends up in old Nafplio. From Syntagma Square. it climbs through the narrow streets of old Nafplio to reach Akronafplia.
The project is financed by the Ministry of the Interior and the Municipality of Nafplio.
